282 ART. 2. — H. MATSUMOTO : 



papillœ and arm combs absent. Adorai shields oval, with pointed 

 outer end. One to three supplementary plates present among the 

 oral plates and adorai shields. Oral papillae close-set, completely 

 closing the oral slits. Teeth in a single vertical row. Dental papillae 

 absent. Arms long, stout, with very short arm joints. Dorsal 

 arm plates well developed, wide, strongly convex. Ventral arm 

 plates triangular, nearly in contact with, or separated from, one 

 another. Second oral tentacle pore opening entirely outside the 

 oral slit, long, entirely closed by the tentacle scales, which are so 

 modified as to appear like supplementary plates. A single arm 

 spine and three tentacle scales, both being very small and peg- 

 like. 



This genus includes a single species, Ophiolepis carinata Stüdee, 

 1876 (referred to Opliiocjlypha by Studee, 1883, after the publica- 

 tion of Ophioglypha deshayesi by Lyinian, 1878). 



In my opinion Ophiolepis carinata Studee and Ophioglypha 

 deshayesi Lyman are conspecific, the former having priority. Through 

 Dr. HuBEET L. Claek's kindness, I was enabled to examine one 

 of Lyman's specimens and I am convinced that, it agrees fairly 

 well with Studee's description and figures, though the latter are 

 rather imperfect and inaccurate. Lyman did not take into account 

 Opliiolepis carinata when describing OphioglypJia deshayesi, probably 

 because he took Studee's statement as to genus on trust. It may 

 be remarked that, both Studee's and Lyman's specimens were 

 taken from the vicinities of Kerguelen Island, the former at the 

 depth of 60-65 fathoms, the latter at 28-150 fathoms. 



Ophiurolepis is not very close to any other subdivision of 

 Ophiura s. ext., though it more or less resembles the irrorata-gaow^ 

 of Ophiura s. str. Ophiurolepis resembles Opliiolepis and Ophiozona 

 restr., merely in the squamation of the disk. 



